The America's Intelligence Wire articles from February 2004

The America's Intelligence Wire archives from February 2004

Latin America: BRAZIL'S INTERNAL DEMAND REVIVES.
February 1, 2004... (From Market: Latin America) Brazil moved into economic recovery during the last half of 2003, yet the surge in commercial activity was primarily a result of strong external demand. It will take time for the benefits of the governments...

Latin America: ECUADORIAN HOUSEHOLD SPENDING GAINS MOMENTUM.
February 1, 2004... (From Market: Latin America) Ecuadors economic panorama is brightening and this is reflected in modest improvement in the well-being of the average household The improvement in living standards is reflected in the changing mix of sales...

Latin America: PROMISING PANORAMA FOR CHILEAN SALES.
February 1, 2004... (From Market: Latin America) Both internal and external demand for Chilean goods should experience healthy gains as 2004 progresses. Growth in external sales should run approximately 10 percent year-on-year thanks to an anticipated upsurge...

Latin America: COSTA RICA'S COMMERCIAL DECELERATION.
February 1, 2004... (From Market: Latin America) Commercial activity began to decelerate in the second quarter of 2003 and the pace of growth has been slowing since then. To a great degree, this is attributable to a slowdown in hi-tech manufacturing that has...

Latin America: ARGENTINE BUSINESS EXPENDITURE TO RISE.
February 1, 2004... (From Market: Latin America) Despite concerns in governmental circles that the recovery in Argentine internal demand would fizzle in 2004, there are signs that moderate but sustainable year-on-year growth will prevail through most of the...

Latin America: HONDURANS TO SPEND MORE ON DURABLES.
February 1, 2004... (From Market: Latin America) Honduran purchasing power parity per capita of approximately US$2,750 is well below that of the Central American average (US$6,820), yet small-scale household consumption is destined to increase during 2004 ...

Latin America: VENEZUELAN POLICIES ATTACK COMMERCE.
February 1, 2004... (From Market: Latin America) Impressive year-on-year economic growth figures through the first half of 2004 should not be taken as a sign that Venezuelan commercial activity is on the road to recovery. Instead, it reflects a favorable base...

Latin America: NICARAGUAN IMPORTS ORDERS TO GROW.
February 1, 2004... (From Market: Latin America) The panorama for private sector consumption in Nicaragua is improving, yet poor wealth distribution and chronic poverty in rural areas will continue to inhibit household expenditure throughout 2004 ...

Latin America: MEXICO'S RESILIENT CONSUMER BASE.
February 1, 2004... (From Market: Latin America) Mexicos internal demand for goods and services has remained surprisingly robust considering the gloomy industrial and macroeconomic climate that has prevailed for the past two years The Fox regimes...

NYC to Settle Discrimination Lawsuit.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) The city has agreed to pay $26.8 million to settle a federal class-action lawsuit filed by Hispanic police officers alleging that minorities faced discrimination on the job. The settlement means that the approximately...

Nolan returns from eye injury.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Maple Leafs forward Owen Nolan returned to the lineup for the first time in nearly a month after getting high-sticked in his left eye. Nolan has had headaches and blurred vision since Buffalo's Jay McKee high-sticked...

Another Cow Found From Canadian Herd.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Federal officials have so far found 29 of the 80 head of Canadian cattle that entered the United States in 2001 with a Holstein infected with mad cow disease. The latest animal, which was located Thursday, would be...

Small Plane Crashes in Ocean Near L.A.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Divers found a body inside a small plane that crashed into the ocean Saturday about a half-mile from the Port of Los Angeles, authorities said. U.S. Coast Guard Officer Lance Jones said the plane was found in water...

Small plane goes down off Port of Los Angeles.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Divers found a body inside a small plane that crashed into the ocean Saturday about a half-mile (kilometer) from the Port of Los Angeles, authorities said. U.S. Coast Guard Officer Lance Jones said the plane was found...

Gebrselassie makes first U.S. appearance in eight years, misses world record.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Haile Gebrselassie set the meet record in the 3,000 meters but failed to break the world record Saturday in the Boston Indoor Games, his first American appearance in eight years. The Ethiopian, the two-time defending...

U.S. State Department envoy arrives in Seoul to discuss nuclear standoff.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Washington's point man for North Korea said Sunday that a fresh round of talks on the communist state's nuclear standoff could open as early as this month. Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly, who arrived in Seoul...

"Te Doy Mis Ojos," a film about domestic abuse, bags top prizes at Spain's Goya Awards.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Iciar Bollain's moving film about domestic abuse, "Te Doy Mis Ojos," (I Give You My Eyes), won all the major prizes at Spain's Goya Awards Sunday, including best film and best director. The film, which tells the tale...

Australian Open men's final to be played at night.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) The Australian Open men's singles final will be played on Sunday night from next year, a first for one of tennis' four Grand Slam events, tournament officials announced. The change from the traditional Sunday afternoon...

India bats first after Ganguly wins toss.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) India won the toss and decided to bat first in the tri-series one-day cricket match against Australia at the WACA on Sunday. India was at full strength with the inclusion of hard-hitting batsmen Sachin Tendulkar and...

Man Sought in Suspected Abduction Found.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Hours after a woman called 911 saying her ex-husband had tied her up and put her in the back of his truck, police Saturday found the man but not his former wife or their two young daughters. The ex-husband had been...

Obituaries in the News.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Woody Clements MCINTOSH, N.M. (AP) _ Woody Clements, who coached the New Mexico men's basketball team, died Tuesday, his family said. He was 90. Clements was known as a soft-spoken coach who commanded respect from...

Flyers top Penguins 5-3 as Sharp, LeClair lead the way.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Patrick Sharp and John LeClair scored just more than a minute apart in the second period, and the Philadelphia Flyers won 5-3 Saturday to extend a pair of Pittsburgh Penguins losing streaks. The Penguins have lost nine...

Officials: Propane Leak Caused Texas Fire.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) A leak from a propane tank used to fuel a small stove led to an explosion and fire that killed four people and injured three others, authorities said. All those killed _ a man, a 6-year-old boy and girls ages 2 and 7 _...

German tourist charged with alleged blackmailing Hong Kong hotels with glass-in-food claim.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) A German tourist has been formally charged after he was arrested for allegedly blackmailing several upscale Hong Kong hotels by claiming he was served food mixed with shattered glass, police said Sunday. The...

Daytona 24-Hour Rolex Results through 8 hours.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Results Saturday through eight hours in the Rolex 24-hour sports car endurance race at Daytona International Speedway. 1. (2) Andy Wallace, England; Tony Stewart, Davidson, N.C.; Dale Earnhardt Jr, Cleveland, N.C., DP,...

Federer wins first set in Australia Open final.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Switzerland's Roger Federer won the opening set of his Australian Open final with Russian Marat Safin 7-6 (3) Sunday at Melbourne Park. Both players had poor first serve percentages _ under 50 percent _ in the...

Man Sought in Suspected Abduction Found.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Hours after a woman called 911 saying her ex-husband had tied her up and put her in the back of his truck, police Saturday found the man and their two young daughters, but not his former wife. The ex-husband had been...

South Korea's January exports reach monthly record high.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Worldstream) South Korea reported a trade surplus of US$2.95 billion in January, the highest figure since 1998, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Sunday. The ministry said that exports in January totaled US$19...

Federer takes 2-0 set lead in Australian Open final.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Worldstream) Switzerland's Roger Federer won the first two sets of the Australian Open men's final against Russia's Marat Safin 7-6 (3), 6-4 Sunday at Melbourne Park. Both players had poor first-serve percentages _ under 50...

Australian Open results.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Worldstream) Results of matches played Sunday on the 14th and final day of the US$14.7 million Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park: Men Championship Match Roger Federer (2), Switzerland, def. Marat...

New visa policy for foreign visitors begins in Indonesia.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Worldstream) Indonesia began charging some foreign visitors up to US$25 for an entry visa Sunday as it reintroduced a policy it had abolished 20 years ago, an immigration spokesman said. The government recently reversed a law...

Report: Government panel to recommend that female succession to Japanese throne be allowed.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) A government panel plans to recommend that Japan amend a law to let women inherit the Chrysanthemum Throne, a newspaper reported Sunday, amid the imperial family's most serious succession crisis in centuries. The...

Federer wins Australian Open.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Roger Federer added another Grand Slam title to his Wimbledon crown and underscored his No. 1 ranking with a 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-2 rout of unseeded Marat Safin in Sunday's Australian Open final. The 22-year-old Swiss went...

Three Pakistanis arrested for allegedly raising funds for banned militant group.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Police in Pakistan have arrested three suspected militants for allegedly trying to raise funds for a banned Islamic group that India blames for violence in its portion of the divided Kashmir region, an official said...

Australian Open women's final statistics.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Match statistics Sunday from the Australian Open men's final between Switzerland's Roger Federer and Russian Marat Safin, won by Federer 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-2. Safin Federer 1st serve percentage 49 53 Aces 3 8...

Malaysia builds naval base to house European-built submarines, boost sea security.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Malaysia will complete the construction of a new naval base by the end of 2007 to house its first submarines and bolster security in its waters off Borneo island, a senior defense official said Sunday. About 8,000...

Man Sought in Suspected Abduction Found.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Hours after a woman called 911 saying her ex-husband had tied her up and put her in the back of his truck, police Saturday found the man and their two young daughters, but not his former wife. The ex-husband had been...

Flyers top Penguins 5-3 as Sharp, LeClair lead the way.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Patrick Sharp and John LeClair scored just more than a minute apart in the second period, and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 on Saturday. The Penguins have lost nine straight since beating the...

Australia-India-Scoreboard.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Scoreboard Sunday of the India innings in the tri-series one-day international against Australia at the WACA: India won the toss India, 1st Innings Virender Sehwag c Lee b Gillespie 32 Sachin Tendulkar c...

Federer wins Australian Open.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Roger Federer added another Grand Slam title to his Wimbledon crown and underscored his No. 1 ranking with a 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-2 rout of unseeded Marat Safin in Sunday's Australian Open final. The 22-year-old Swiss went...

New visa policy for foreign visitors begins in Indonesia.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Indonesia began charging some foreign visitors up to US$25 for an entry visa Sunday as it reintroduced a policy it had abolished 20 years ago, an immigration spokesman said. The government recently reversed a law...

Israeli troops raid Jericho on Muslim holiday to search for fugitives.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) The sound of gunfire rang through Jericho's ancient streets early Sunday when Israeli troops on jeeps and a tank raided the town for the first time in months in an apparent search for fugitives. Entering the town at...

Freezing Rain Plays Role in Kan. Wrecks.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Freezing drizzle coated Kansas roads with ice Saturday, playing a role in a crash that left five people dead and another wreck that closed a section of Interstate 70 for hours. The fatal crash occurred about 6 p.m. on...

Australian Open Glance.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Highlights Sunday from the US$14.7 million Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park: Weather: overcast, top temperature of 19 Celsius (66 Fahrenheit). Attendance: 16,057. Seeded Men's Winner: No....

Lee restricts India to 203 all out at the WACA.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) A fiery spell of fast bowling by Brett Lee enabled Australia to dismiss India for 203 in 49 overs in a tri-series one-day international at the WACA on Sunday. Lee, who spearheaded the four-pronged pace attack, took...

Federer wins Australian Open.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Worldstream) Roger Federer added another Grand Slam title to his Wimbledon crown and underscored his No. 1 ranking with a 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-2 rout of unseeded Marat Safin in Sunday's Australian Open final. The 22-year-old Swiss...

Sri Lankan rebels release 10 child soldiers for rehabilitation.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Worldstream) Tamil Tiger rebels have released 10 child soldiers, sending them to a rehabilitation program before letting them return home, a rebel spokesman said Sunday. The release comes after the U.N. Children's Fund in...

Applications Abound For Unique Physical, Chemical Properties.
February 1, 2004... (From Technews.com) Byline: Rick Weiss Imagine a pair of tweezers so fine they can grasp not just a hair but a single atom 1/100,000th the width of that hair. Such tools exist and made possible the birth of nanotechnology -- the...

Federer wins Australian Open.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: Rick Weiss Roger Federer won his second Grand Slam title and solidified his No. 1 ranking Sunday, beating Marat Safin 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-2 in the Australian Open. "What a great start to the year for me,...

Federer wins Australian Open.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Byline: Rick Weiss Roger Federer won his second Grand Slam title and solidified his No. 1 ranking Sunday, beating Marat Safin 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-2 in the Australian Open. "What a great start to the year for me, to...

For Science, Nanotech Poses Big Unknowns.
February 1, 2004... (From Technews.com) Byline: Rick Weiss Nanotechnology, the hot young science of making invisibly tiny machines and materials, is stirring public anxiety and nascent opposition inspired by best-selling thrillers that have demonized the...

Federer wins Australian Open.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Roger Federer put a quick end to Marat Safin's exhausting run in the Australian Open. The Swiss star won his second Grand Slam title and solidified his No. 1 ranking Sunday, beating Safin 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-2. "What...

Sri Lankan president wants to direct peace process: report.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Worldstream) Sri Lanka's president wants to hold direct talks with Tamil Tiger rebels as she attempts to wrest control of the island's peace process from her rival, the country's prime minister, a newspaper reported Sunday. ...

Federer to ascend to No. 1 in new rankings.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Roger Federer will become the 23rd man to hold tennis' top spot when new rankings are released Monday. Federer, 22, will be the first Swiss man to be No. 1 in the world. Federer, who beat Marat Safin in the...

Philippines studying Indonesian anti-terrorist steps to bolster own security.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) The Philippines is studying steps taken by Indonesia to fortify its capital, Jakarta, from terror attacks to see which could be used to bolster security in Philippine urban centers, a top security official said Sunday. ...

The Cola Giants Align With Music Vendors.
February 1, 2004... (From Technews.com) Byline: Leslie Walker The Internet may not be the biggest hypster of today's Super Bowl in Houston -- leave that to television -- but you can count on it making a respectable contribution. For starters,...

Women's field hockey Asia Cup results.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Results on the opening day of the women's field hockey Asia Cup at New Delhi's National Stadium Sunday: Pool B South Korea def. Sri Lanka 15-0 (halftime 9-0) Scorers: Kim Eun-sil (3rd minute), Kim Jong-fun (6,...

Air Ambulance Disappears Over Hawaii.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) An air ambulance on its way to pick up a patient from another island disappeared over land apparently after trying to fly around strong winds, authorities said. The twin-engine Cessna and its crew of three were...

South Africa wins toss and bats first in fourth ODI.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Captain Graeme Smith won the toss and sent his South African side in to bat Sunday at Supersport Park in the fourth one-day internationals against West Indies. South Africa won a low scoring match last week to go 2-0...

Unknown number of pilgrims trampled at hajj stoning ritual.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) An unknown number of pilgrims were trampled to death Sunday during a stoning ritual at the annual hajj, the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported. The deaths were reported by the Saudi Interior Ministry, according to...

Two sisters in Vietnam may have died from human-to-human transmission of bird flu.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Two sisters who died of bird flu in Vietnam may have caught the disease from their brother, in what would be the first known case of human-to-human transmission of the illness in its current outbreak, the World Health...

Australia-India-Scoreboard.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Eds: UPDATES with result PERTH, Australia (AP) _ Scoreboard Sunday in the tri-series one-day international between Australia and India at the WACA: India won the toss India, Innings Virender Sehwag c Lee...

Two sisters in Vietnam may have died from human-to-human transmission of bird flu.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Worldstream) Two sisters who died of bird flu in Vietnam may have caught the disease from their brother, in what would be the first known case of human-to-human transmission of the illness in its current outbreak, the World Health...

Official: Suicide bomber kills many at Kurdish party office.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Worldstream) A suicide bomber blew himself up at the office of a Kurdish party office in the northern city of Irbil where hundreds of members had gathered to celebrate a Muslim holiday, a party official said. He said there were...

Women's field hockey Asia Cup results.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Worldstream) Results on the opening day of the women's field hockey Asia Cup at New Delhi's National Stadium Sunday: Pool A China def. Kazakhstan 4-1 (halftime 2-1) Scorers: China: Ren Ye (6th minute), Li Aili...

Official: Suicide bomber kills many at Kurdish party office.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) A suicide bomber blew himself up at the office of a Kurdish party office in northern city of Irbil where many members had gathered to celebrate a Musim holiday, a party official said. He said there were many casualties....

Mail Bomb Injures Kansas Man.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) A man opening up his mail was injured when a homemade bomb inside a package exploded, postal officials said. Daniel A. Owens hurt his right hand, but the extent of his injuries wasn't immediately known, authorities...

Officials: Suicide bombers kill many at Kurdish party offices.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Worldstream) Two suicide bombers blew themselves up at the offices of two rival Kurdish parties packed with hundreds of people celebrating a Muslim holiday in northern Iraq, officials said. There were many casualties, they said....

Five members of Chechen president's security service reported killed.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Gunmen wielding hand grenades killed five members of the Moscow-backed Chechen president's security service on Sunday in the native village of the region's former separatist leader, the Interfax news agency reported. ...

Greek foreign minister: Tight Olympic security should not make Athens 'fortress'.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) The intensive security measures planned for the Olympics should not turn Athens into a "fortress" city, Greece's foreign minister said in an interview published Sunday. George Papandreou _ who is leading the Socialists...

Henry says he doesn't want to join Madrid.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) French striker Thierry Henry quashed speculation that he will move to Real Madrid in the summer by saying he has no intention of leaving Arsenal. Henry said in an interview with leading sports daily Marca published...

Hundreds gather in South Africa to expand global democracy.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) More than 600 delegates from 120 countries gathered in the coastal city of Durban on Sunday for a four-day conference focusing on expanding democracy across the world. The conference, the third of is kind organized by...

Howard says he'll face tough election campaign against Labor opponent.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Prime Minister John Howard said Sunday he will face a tough battle against popular Labor Party leader Mark Latham in his campaign to win re-election in elections later this year. "He's had a good few days, he's had...

Atapattu waits to breath fire _ Sri Lankan style.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Sri Lanka's one-day skipper Marvan Atapattu is waiting to meet the aggressive Australians "fire with fire" when the Aussies tour the island later this month. "Yes, we must match fire with fire, but our approach will be...

Spain's Jimenez wins Johnnie Walker classic.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Spanish veteran Miguel Angel Jimenez claimed his eighth European title Sunday by winning a neck-to-neck race with Denmark's Thomas Bjorn to claim the Johnnie Walker Classic. Exchanging the lead with the big Dane at the...

Arrest made, valuables recovered after Cameroon were robbed.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Two Cameroon players recovered their valuables but some euro10,000 (US$12,500) remained missing after authorities arrested a man accused of breaking into the players' rooms during the African Cup of Nations, officials said...

Search ends after seventh victim of Azerbaijan building collapse found.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Authorities stopped searching through the rubble of an apartment building in southern Azerbaijan after finding the body of man, bringing the death toll in last week's collapse to seven, an official said Sunday. Part...

Arrest made, valuables recovered after Cameroon were robbed.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Worldstream) Two Cameroon players recovered their valuables but some euro10,000 (US$12,500) remained missing after authorities arrested a man accused of breaking into the players' rooms during the African Cup of Nations, officials...

Women's field hockey Asia Cup results.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Results on the opening day of the women's field hockey Asia Cup at New Delhi's National Stadium Sunday: Pool A China def. Kazakhstan 4-1 (halftime 2-1) Scorers: China: Ren Ye (6th minute), Li Aili (35,...

Maier wins Sunday's super-G.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Austrian star Hermann Maier won Sunday's super giant slalom race to vault into the lead in overall World Cup standings with his third victory of the season. Racing on one of his favorite slopes where he captured his...

Five members of Chechen president's security service reported killed.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Gunmen wielding hand grenades killed five members of Moscow-backed Chechen president Akhmad Kadyrov's security service on Sunday in the native village of the region's separatist ex-president, the Interfax news agency...

Maier wins Sunday's super-G.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Online) Austrian star Hermann Maier won Sunday's super giant slalom race to vault into the lead in overall World Cup standings with his third victory of the season. Racing on one of his favorite slopes where he captured his...

More than 50 dead is hajj stampede, official says.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Worldstream) More than 50 pilgrims died in a stampede during a hajj ritual Sunday, slipping and falling in the crush of people throwing pebbles at stone pillars symbolizing the devil, according to a Saudi security official. ...

Pope encourages support for bigger families, opposition to abortion.
February 1, 2004... (From AP Worldstream) Pope John Paul II complained Sunday that authorities are not doing enough to support families that want more children. The pontiff's weekly message to pilgrims at St. Peter's Square also reiterated his strong...